Rotary forging machine or the like



1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVENTORJ Dec. 26, 1967 J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 26, 1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,3 ,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965' 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORJ BY (027/: K (In/50M F17, 4 ail 1. Jwvmwaz N 40M W Dec. 26, 1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL. 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE l0 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1965 Dec. 26, 1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 is If? g INVENTOR/ B izz 7AM AMA'M Dec. 26, 1967 Filed March 24,

A- J. BOUCHARD ET AL ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 26, 1967 A- J. BOUCHARD ET AL ROTARY- FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE 10 SheetsSheet Filed March 24, 1965 II S x INVENTORI Iva 0k flaaowxa Dec. 26, 1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGI NG MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 BY (0/07: A. (444.50 fly, [7 J06! ,4. Jam/[v01 Mud m 7- TM Dec. 26, 1967 A. J. BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Filed March 24, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 ITITI I Dec. 26, 1967 A. J, BOUCHARD ET AL 3,359,774

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE 1O Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed March 24, 1965 United States Patent ROTARY FORGING MACHINE OR THE LIKE Arthur J. Bouchard, Wauwatosa, Wis., and Donald E.

Hawkinson, Curtis R. Carlson, and Joel A. Jannenga,

Rockford, Ill., assignors to Rota Forg Corporation, a

corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 442,356 18 Claims. (Cl. 72-339) This invention relates to a rotary forging machine or the like. The word forging as used herein is intended to cover any procedure for shaping or forming a workpiece under pressure.

It is a feature of the invention that the work may normally pass in continuous uninterrupted movement through the entire machine. The work may be heated but is cold in the instant exemplification.

The work is fed into the machine continuously in the form of a rod which may advance without dwell and from which successive blanks or slugs will then be sheared in the course of continuous rod movement. However, in some instances the rod may advance in steps and dwell during shearing of the slugs therefrom. In other instances, the feed mechanism operates continuously but slips to allow very slight dwell of the rod during shearing of a slug therefrom, all other movement of the work being continuous until the forged workpiece is discharged.

A rotor grasps each severed blank. In the course of continuous rotor movement, the blank is moved to a point of tangency with another rotor to which the blank is transferred without dwell. The second rotor includes one of the forging dies, and fingers which engage the blank and hold it to the first die until, in the course of continuous rotation of the second rotor, the blank registers with the mating die of the third rotor, whereupon the fingers which have been holding it are withdrawn and the blank is forged.

Another feature of the invention consists in the arrangement whereby optimum grain disposition of the work is assured, with minimum flash, by cam adjustment of the mating dies angularly on the several rotors in such manner that they confront each other axially in the course of their translative orbital movement peripherally on their respective rotors. Each die has an oscillatory mount which is cam adjusted to maintain the dies in the desired position of axial alignment with each other as they approach each other orbitally. The method involved is disclosed in Patent 3,239,912, granted March 15, 1966, and the apparatus is disclosed in pending application 495,920, entitled, Forging Apparatus, and filed Oct. 15, 1965.

After the forging operation, the cammed control of the die mounting members permits such members to swing wide apart angularly at a rate in excess of the angular movement attributable to orbital movement on their rotative carriers. Concurrently, an ejector pushes the finished workpiece from the die in which it has been forged.

Workpieces of superior quality result from the controlled movement of the dies as above described. Whether or not there is dwell of the rod stock, the continuity of rotative movement, even during the transfer of the work from one rotor to another, minimizes power requirements and the rate of production greatly exceeds anything heretofore known.

The invention is exemplified by dies designed to forge balls from blanks cut from rod stock. However, the equipment may be used to forge work which is non-spherical and it may also be used for the performance of many operations other than the forging operation for which the present exemplification is specifically designed. In other words, the device is not even necessarily limited to a forging machine such as exemplifies the invention. Addi- 3,359,774 Patented Dec. 26, 1967 tional operations can be performed by successive rotors bearing dies to which the work is transferred in similar manner. For example, these additional operations may include piercing or extruding.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view largely in side elevation with parts broken away and shown in section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation from the viewpoint indicated at 3-3 in FIG. 1, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3a is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on the line 3a-3a of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section axially of the first rotor shaft on the line indicated at 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view in transverse section axially of the second rotor shaft on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, parts being broken away.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section on the line 99 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a view largely in elevation and partially in section on the line 10-10- of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a view taken in section on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view largely in elevation and partially section on the line 12-12 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 is a view in section on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12, parts being broken away.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal vertical section on the line 14-14 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on the line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a view taken from the viewpoint indicated at 16-16 in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken in section on the line 17-17 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is a view on a reduced scale showing workholding fingers which may be substituted for those shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged detail view showing fingers of FIG. 18 in side elevation and showing portions of the associated rotors partially in side elevation and partially in section.

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary detail view in plan from the viewpoint indicated at 20-20 in FIG. 19.

FIG. 21-25 are diagrammatic views partially in elevation and partially in longitudinal section showing on a reduced scale successive positions of the forging die carriers and the fixed cams with which they respectively coact as they approach and leave forging position.

A machine frame 24 supports relatively fixed shafts 26, 28 and 30 upon which are mounted the hubs 32, 34 and 36 of the rotors 38, 40 and 42 respectively. On the hubs of the respective rotors are intermeshing gears 44, 46 and 48 respectively. These gears adjustably drive the rotors upon the hub of which they are respectively mounted. Adjustment is made conveniently possibly by the provision of set screws 50 mounted in lugs 52 on respective gears as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a. These set screws are directed oppositely to bear against driven studs 54 which project from the respective rotors.

Pinion shaft 58 is driven from motor 56 (FIG. 1). From pinion shaft 58 (FIG. 2), motion is transmitted through gear 60 and pinion 62 to the primarily drive gear of the train; in this case, gear 46.

Driven from gear 44 is a gear 64 which transmits motion through the gear train 66 shown in FIG. 3 to operate the feed rolls 68 and 70' between which is clampingly held the rod 72 from which successive lugs are severed in the manner now to be described.

At its forward end the rod 72 is guided in a stationary tubular die 74 as best shown in FIG. 6. The feed rolls 68 and 70 are in continuous rotative movement to advance the forward end portion 76 of rod 72 to project from the die 74 into the path of successive shearing dies 78 which are carried by the rotor 38. In some cases the shearing may be effected so rapidly that there is no dwell of the rod. In other instances the feed rollers slip slightly so the rod dwells almost imperceptibly during cutoff.

The shearing dies are obliquely disposed, each being beveled to provide a fiat face at 80 (FIG. 8) which, in the course of rotation of rotor 38, is caused to pass across the end face of the fixed die 74. The flattened extremity 80 of the shearing die 78 has a notch 82 which, in the position of the parts shown in FIGS. and 11, embraces the extremity 76 of the rod from which a slug is to be severed. During continued advance of the rotor 38 in the direction indicated by the arrow 83 in FIG. 10, the shearing margin 84 will engage the rod near its end 76 and shear a slug 86 from the extremity of the continuously advancing rod.

The rotor is provided, as best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, with spring fingers 88 which have been forced aside as they are rotated past the fixed extremity 76 of the rod in reaching the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. As soon as they pass the extremity 76 of the rod, they snap together to retain the severed slug. FIGS. 10 and 11 show the fingers in slug retaining osition. In the particular exemplification illustrated in the drawings, the rotor 38 carries four of the shearing dies 78, each with its own set of spring fingers. In the lower portion of FIG. 6, the severed slug 86 is shown to be held between the spring fingers 88 and the shearing die 78 by which it was severed from the rod 72.

It is now necessary to transfer the severed workpiece or slug 86 from the rotor 38 to the rotor 40 in order that the forging operation or other operation to be performed on the workpiece can be effected by the interaction of tools carried by rotors 40 and 42.

The rotor 38 is provided with transfer plungers 90 which register with workpieces held by respective pairs of spring fingers 88. It is necessary that each transfer plunger be retracted to receive the slugs and then advanced to eject the slugs positively into one of the forging dies. It is also desirable to be able to control with precision the range through which the plunger moves.

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, each transfer plunger 90 is carried by a rack 91 having a bore 92 in which an enlarged cylindrical portion 93 of the plunger is reciprocably yieldable against the bias of a spring 94. This spring is relatively stiff and is provided to prevent breakage in the event of mis-function. The spring is not required to yield as the work advances to the position of FIG. 8, the entire rack being retracted to permit the desired length of rod to be grasped between the spring fingers 88 preliminary to severance by the die 78 as the rotor 38 revolves. Normally, there is no movement between the plunger and the rack which carries it, these parts moving unitarily.

The movements of the rack 91 are controlled by a fixed cam 95 (FIG. 7) which has a channel 96 in which the cam follower roller 97 is positioned. The cam follower roller is not mounted directly on the rack 91 but, in order to multiply the motion controlled by the fixed cam, the roller 97 is mounted on a shaft 98 carried by a slide 99. A pinion 100 meshing with rack 91 is supported from this slide by cross shaft 101 (FIGS. 7, 8 and 9). Pinion 100 also meshes with an adjustable stationary rack 102 which is reciprocable for adjustment purposes in a bore 103 but is held in adjusted position by a bolt 108. Since the rack 102 is stationary, the movement of the slide 99 and pinion along the stationary rack 102 will cause the pinion to rotate so that the rack 91 will be advanced through twice the distance for which the slide 99 is moved by the cam follower roller 97. This not only multiplies the effect of the cam but permits the range of reciprocation of rack 91 and transfer plunger 90 to be accurately controlled simply by controlling the position of the fixed rack 102.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the channel 96 has a radial offset 105. As the rotor 38 advances successive cam follower rollers 97 about the fixed cam 95, the slide 99 on which the respective rollers 97 are mounted will be held in its retracted position while the rollers are traversing the fixed radius portion 960 of the cam channel 96 but will be advanced sharply as the roller reaches the radial offset 105 of the cam track or channel. This is where the slug is ejected in the manner hereinafter described.

FIG. 9 shows the advanced ejecting position of slide 99, rack 91 and plunger 90. In actual practice, movement of slide 99 on which the cam follower roller 97 is mounted is one inch and the movement of the rack 91 and plunger 90 is two inches. The portion 961 of the channel then progressively approaches the fixed radius portion 960 thereof as clearly appears in FIG. 6 to retract the rack 91 and plunger 90 toward the work-receiving position shown in FIG. 8.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the rod is advanced on a radial center line of rotor 38 and is there severed, being transported 180 by rotor 38 before it reaches the point where it is ejected as shown in FIG. 9. When the parts reach the position shown in FIG. 9 and shown at the right in FIG. 6, the respective roller 97 reaches the offset 105 to cause sharp reciprocation of rack 91 and plunger 90 as above described whereby the transfer plunger 90 ejects the blank or slug 86 to force it between the resiliently yieldable clamping fingers 110, 112 and into the socket 114 of the forging die (FIGS. 9 and 13).

The clamping fingers 110, 112 are independently pivoted On a pintle 122 of rotor 40 as best shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13. They function like the blades of a pair of shears, crossing each other at the pintle. Above the pintle they have cam follower rollers 124. Below the pintle as viewed in FIG. 12 they have clamping jaws 126 which are so beveled or chamfered at 12 8 that they are readily forced aside as the transfer plunger 90 forces the slug or workpiece 86 between the jaws to open the jaws against the bias of springs 130 and 132. Set screws 134 threaded into the respective jaws are adjustable to engage the fixed stop 136 so that as the jaws engage the slug or workpiece 86 they will be returned to a position which is axially centered with respect to the forging die or other tool shown at 120.

The rotor 40 is in continuous rotation and, as shown in FIG. 6, it desirably has a number of sets of clamping jaws equal to the sets of shearing dies 78 and supporting springs 88 on the rotor 38. The arrows in FIG. 2 show the directions of relative rotation. The portions of the rotors 38 and 40 are thereby moving in unison at the same rate at the point where transfer occurs, this being in the same angular motion at which the driving gears 44 and 46 mesh as shown in FIG. 2.

With each workpiece securely held by the respective clamping jaws and with one end thereof engaged in the forging die or other tool of rotor 40 as shown in FIG. 14, the worpieces are carried from receiving position at the left of rotor 40 in FIG. 14 to the forging position on the diametrical center line in the middle of FIG. 14. It may be noted that the shafts 28 and 30 upon which the rotors 40 and 42 are mounted are very heavy, being materially heavier than the shaft 26 upon which rotor 38 is supported. The parts have to be heavy enough to support the rotors against relative displacement during forging operation if such is the function of the tools.

FIGS. 18, 19 and 20 show an alternative arrangement of fingers and clamping jaws which maybe substituted for fingers 110, 112 and associated parts as above described. In FIG. 19, the respective dies 120 and 121 of rotors 40 and 42 are shown mounted on their respective rockable mountings 140 and 141 for oscillation about the shafts 142 as their respective cam follower rollers'144 follow the diagrammatically illustrated cams 150, 151.

On the rockable mounting 140 is a post 200 to which the fingers 202 and 204 are pivoted as shown in FIG. 18, with their lower extremities biased apart by compression springs 206 to effect engagement of the respective bifurcated clamping jaws 208, 210 at their free ends with the workpiece or slug 86 for maintaining this centered on the axis of the socket provided by forging die 120.

The respective jaws 208, 210 have opposed beveled surfaces 214, 216 (FIG. 20) so designed that as the forging dies 120, 121 close in the manner above described, the beveled surfaces 218, 220 of the die 121 engage the beveled surfaces 214, 216 of the jaws to force the jaws aside to permit the forging dies to close to complete the ball 224 or other product. The flattened face 226 of die 120 backs up the jaws 208 as shown in FIG. 20 to absorb the reaction pressure produced as jaw 121 cams the jaws open, and to guide the jaw portions 208, 210 of fingers 202, 204 so that these will move smoothly outwardly in a direction generally diametrical with regard to the slug 86 which has been positioned between them and is now released to be forged as the dies close.

On the rotor 40, each forging die or other tool 120 is mounted on a carrier 140 pivoted on a cross shaft 142 for oscillation subject to the control of leading cam follower rollers 144 and trailing cam follower rollers 146. In each case the entire assembly of associated clamping fingers as shown in FIG. 12 is mounted on the carrier 140 for unitary oscillation, subject to the control of a pair of fixed cams 148 and 150 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 and diametrically illustrated in FIGS. 21-25 inclusive.

It has already been indicated that rotors 40 and 42 are similarly equipped with oscillating carriers. Those of rotor 42 are designated by reference character 141. These carriers do not support clamping fingers on the order of those illustrated at fingers 110 and 112 on the carriers 140. All that is required of the carriers 141 is to mount the forging dies 121 or other tools complementary to the tools 120 on carrier 140.

Reference is now made to the series of diagrammatic views, FIGS. 2l25, which illustrate the functioning of the carriers 140 and 141 as they rotate on their respective rotors 40 and 42 (these not being illustrated in FIGS. 21-25). The direction of rotation of the carrier 140 in this sequence of views is clockwise while the direction of rotation of the carrier 141 in this sequence is counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrows on the intermeshing gears 46 and 48 shown in FIG. 2.

In the position of the parts shown in FIG. 21, the tools 120 and 121 are radial with respect to the shafts 28 and 30 about which they are turning. The cams 148 and 150 are fixed to the stationary shaft 28; the cams 149 and 151 are fixed to the stationary shaft 30.

As the carrier 140 moves from the position of FIG. 21 toward the position of FIG. 22, its forward roller 144 and its rearward roller 146 are both on concentric portions of the respective cams 148 and 150. However, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 22, there is a relief in the marginal portion 154 of cam 150 and there is a corresponding elevation or nose at 156 in the cam 148. Accordingly, the carrier 140 for the tool 120 will rock sharply at this point with respect to the radius of the supporting shaft 28 to reach a position in which its forging die or tool 120 is, in FIG. 23, in axial alignment with the complementary die 121 mounted on carrier 141, the latter having, at the same time, undergone an identically controlled change of position. The workpiece or slug 86 held in the forging die 120 by the spring fingers above described (which are not shown in this particular diagrammatic view) will partake of this adjustment so that,

6 in the position of FIG. 23, the respective ends of the slug are engaged centrally in the sockets of the dies and 121.

The form of the cams controlling the respective carriers and 141 is such as to hold the dies 120 and 121 in axial alignment to compress each workpiece or slug 86 symmetrically until the dies reach full engagement in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 24. By reason of this symmetrical approach, there is no tendency to squeeze flash from one side of the die set while leaving the dies unfilled at some other point. Moreover, the grain of the metal of the slug is distributed substantially symmetrically and with substantial uniformity about the exterior of the finished workpiece.

In the position of the parts shown in FIG. 25, the cams have acted on the respective carriers 140 and 141 to restore these angularly to positions in which they are substantially radial with respect to shafts 28 and 30 whereby the finished workpiece falls free between the rotors.

It will be recalled that each carrier 140 is provided with spring fingers 1'10 and 112 for holding successive slugs 86 in the respective dies 120 during transfer on rotor 38 from the receiving position (shown at the left in FIG. 14) to forging position (shown at the center in FIG. 14).

It becomes necessary, or at least desirable, to get these fingers out of the way as the dies close about the workpiece in the forging operation shown diagrammatically in FIG. 21. To this end, a stationary cam 162 is mounted on the frame in the path of the cam follower rollers 124 so that as these rollers engage the extremity 164 of cam 162 the clamping portions 126 of the fingers are forced apart as shown in FIG. 15, leaving plenty of clearance between the separated fingers for the die 121 to seat on the die 120 about the forged workpiece.

It is not always necessary, particularly when balls are being forged, to eject the finished workpiece 160 from between the dies 120 and 121 as these dies open in moving from the position of FIG. 21 to the position of FIG. 22. However, an ejection plunger has been provided at 166 (FIG. 17) and a like plunger may be provided at 167, each of the dies having a central bore in which the respective plunger is operable and a push rod 168 being mounted in each carrier 140, 141 and actuated by a fixed cam 170 in the course of rotation of the respective rotor.

It will be understood that if additional operations are required, additional rotors can be added and the work transferred from one to another in a manner comparable to that herein disclosed.

It is further to be understood that as long as the rotors cooperate by having peripheral portions in mutual tangential proximity, it is not necessary at all that the several rotors have their axes in a common plane as herein disclosed. This is merely a preferred arrangement having to do with low cost, simplicity, strength, and ease of manufacture. Therefore, any reference herein to travel of the workpiece for on the respective rotors will be understood to be a non-essential detail given by way of example and not by way of limitation.

We do regard it as desirable that the slugs or workpieces severed from the rod stock are held on the radii of the respective rotors. This makes it very easy to eject a workpiece in a radial direction from the periphery of the first rotor into a radial position in the socket of a forg ng die carried by the second rotor. The problem of holding the workpiece during its trauslative movement on the second rotor is simplified by its radial position. In addition, the fact that the workpiece is radial with regard to the first and second forging dies as these dies are closed upon it by relative rotation of the second and third rotors has the effect of controlling and rendering symmetrical the distribution of grain in the forged article to produce a superior product.

We claim:

1. In a forging machine, the combination with means for feeding rod, of means for severing slugs therefrom,

and means including complementary socketed'dies, and rotors upon which the respective dies are mounted for rotative movement to and from tangential engagement for forging the slugs so severed, and means for transferring severed slugs from the severing means and placing them in position to be engaged between the cupped dies of the forging means in continuous uninterrupted movement.

2. In a forging machine, the combination with means for feeding rod, of means for severing slugs therefrom, and means for forging the slugs so severed, and means for transferring severed slugs through the machine from the severing means to and through the forging means, the means for severing slugs comprising a fixed first die having a rod guiding portion, a second die, and a rotor upon which the second die is carried and which comprises means for receiving and retaining a slug severed from the rod by the first and second dies; the forging means comprising first and second complementary forging dies between which slugs are engaged, and second and third rotors upon which said forging dies are mounted; the second rotor being positioned adjacent the first rotor to receive a slug directly therefrom, the first rotor comprising means for ejecting a slug from the first rotor toward a forging die on the second rotor and the second rotor having means for positioning in the forging die a slug so ejected, means for rotating the rotors, and means whereby the retaining means is withdrawn as the slug positioned in the forging die of the second rotor is engaged by the complementary forging die on the third rotor.

3. In a forging machine for forging slugs cut from rod stock, the combination with means for feeding rod stock on a predetermined path, of a first shearing die adjacent the path, a first rotor having means supporting it for rotation in a position in which its periphery is proximate to said first shearing die, a second shearing die mounted on the periphery of said rotor in a position for coaction With the first shearing die to sever slugs therefrom, a second rotor having means supporting it for rotation in a position in which its periphery is proximate the periphery of the first rotor, a third rotor having means mounting it for rotation in a position in which its periphery is proximate the periphery of the second rotor, slug positioning means mounted on the first rotor and constituting means for retaining adjacent the periphery of the first rotor a slug severed by the coaction of said shearing dies, a first forging die mounted on the periphery of the second rotor and having a cupped portion adapted to receive said slug, means for synchronized rotation of the rotors, means for ejecting the slug from the first rotor and engaging it in the cupped portion of the forging die when the forging die registers with said slug, means on the second rotor for holding the slug with at least one end thereof in the cupped portion of said first forging die, a second forging die mounted on the periphery of the third rotor in a position such as to close upon the first forging die to forge the slug positioned in the upper portion thereof, the several rotors and retaining and ejecting means constituting mechanism for advancing slugs from said shearing dies to and through said forging dies in continuous uninterrupted movement.

4. A forging machine according to claim 3 in further combination with means for the controlled oscillation of the first and second forging dies with respect to the second and third rotors for causing the approach of said forging dies to be coaxial with respect to each other notwithstanding their peripheral movement upon the second 1 and third rotors.

5. A forging machine according to claim 4 and using elongated slugs and in which the means for retaining a slug in the cupped portion of the first forging die holds the slug in line with the axis of said cupped portion, whereby the forging of the slug upon the closing of the second forging die upon the first such die occurs substantially symmetrically with regard to the center line of the slug.

6. The combination with first, second and third rotors provided with supports upon which they are rotatable with their peripheries in tangential proximity, of a shre'ar carried by the first rotor, a relatively fixed shear with which the first mentioned shear coacts, means for feeding rod stock across the relatively fixed shear into the path of the first mentioned shear whereby to sever successive elongated slugs from the rod stock in the course of rotation of the first rotor, means on the first rotor for holding in substantially radial positions on the first rotor the slugs so severed, first and second forging dies respectively carried on the peripheries of the second and third rotors in peripheral positions such as to be adapted to close operatively in the course of relative rotation of the second and third rotors, the second rotor being adapted to present a first forging die to the end of a slug radially carried by the first rotor, means for ejecting such a slug radially from the first rotor into engagement with the first forging die presented thereto by the second rotor, means on the second rotor for retaining endwise in the forging die a slug projected into engagement with such die as aforesaid, said slug having an end projecting out of said first forging die, which end is presented to a second forging die of the third rotor in the course of the rotation of the second and third rotors, and means for withdrawing the retaining means from between said first and second forging dies as the first and second forging dies close against a slug during such rotation.

7. A combination according to claim 6 in which the first and second forging dies have means for pivotally mounting them upon the second and third rotors for oscillatory movement on axes transverse with respect to said rotors, and cam means for oscillating the first and second forging dies with regard to the second and third rotors respectively and in synchronism with their approach to mutual closing position in the course of rotation of said rotors, said cam means comprising means for maintaining said forging dies mutually centered for relative rectilinear axial approach to closing position notwithstanding their orbital movement on the second and third rotors.

8. In a machine for severing successive slugs from rod stock, the combination with means for feeding a rod, of a relatively fixed die across which an end of the rod progresses as fed, a rotor having a shear for coaction with said relatively fixed die to sever a slug from the end of the rod, means for rotating the rotor, and a pair of fingers carried by said rotor in the path of advance of said rod and having means coacting with said shear to engage and retain on said rotor a slug severed by said shear.

9. A machine according to claim 8 and using elongated slugs and in which the slug is retained in a position which is substantially radial with respect to the rotor, and in further combination with an ejecting pin operatively mounted substantially radially on the rotor and having means for ejecting from the periphery of the rotor in the course of rotor rotation a slug retained by said retaining means.

10. In a forging machine the combination with first and second rotors having means mounting them for rotation in proximate positions in substantially the same plane, means for rotating the rotors, means for feeding rod to- Ward the center of one of said rotors, a relatively fixed die across which the end of such rod is fed, a shear connected with said one rotor and positioned to coact with said die for severing the end of said rod to constitute a slug disposed radially of said one rotor, a socketed die mounted on the other rotor and adapted to be presented toward the one rotor in the course of rotation of the rotors, means on the one rotor for retaining in substantially radial position a slug severed as aforesaid, means for ejecting said slug from said retaining means when said slug registers with the socketed die on the other rotor, and means on the other rotor for temporarily holding said slug with one end in the socketed die and the other end projecting therefrom.

11. A machine according to claim in further combination with a third rotor having means mounting it for rotation proximate the second rotor, and a die on the third rotor in a position to be closed upon the socketed die in forging engagement with the projecting end of the slug retained therein.

12. A machine according to claim 11 in further combination with means for oscillating said socketed die and the die closed thereon in synchronism with the rotation of their respective rotors and in directions of oscillation such that the last mentioned dies approach each other in substantial axial alignment with each other and the slug upon which they close.

13. In a device for transferring from the periphery of one rotor to the periphery of another an elongated workpiece having ends while maintaining the workpiece with its length substantially radial with respect to each rotor, the combination with first and second rotors having means mounting them for rotation in positions in which their peripheral portions are proximate, a holder on the first rotor adapted to maintain a workpiece with its length in a substantially radial position at the periphery of the first rotor, means for ejecting from said holder in a generally radial direction a workpiece so held, a forging die adjacent the periphery of the second rotor, a pair of clamping fingers having means pivotally mounting them on the periphery of the second rotor, said fingers having workengaging free end portions at opposite sides of the die and in positions to receive a workpiece ejected from the holder of the first rotor in registry with said die, and means relatively biasing said fingers into positioning engagement with such a workpiece whereby to hold the workpiece radially endwise in said die.

14. A device according to claim 13 in further combination with a third rotor having a forging die complementary to the said forging die of the second rotor and means supporting the third rotor for rotation synchronized with that of the second rotor to present the forging die of the third rotor to the forging die of the second rotor for closing in mutual interaction upon said workpiece, and means operable in the course of rotation of the second and third rotors for displacing the free end portions of said fingers against said bias as the forging dies are closing on the workpiece whereby to release all portions of the workpiece intermediate the forging dies to permit the forging dies to close.

15. A device according to claim 13 in which the holder for maintaining the workpiece in position on the first rotor comprises a pair of fingers having complementary portions adapted for lateral workpiece engagement, the ejecting means being adapted to push the workpiece lengthwise from between said last mentioned fingers.

16. A device according to claim 13 in which the holder for maintaining the workpiece in position on the first rotor comprises a pair of fingers having complementary portions adapted for lateral workpiece engagement, the

ejecting means being adapted to push the workpiece lengthwise from between said last mentioned fingers and comprising a plunger, 21 first rack upon which the plunger is mounted, the first rotor having means for guiding the rack for reciprocation, a pinion meshing with the rack and provided with a slide for which the rotor has guide means establishing a way in which the slide is movable parallel to the movement of the rack, a second rack meshing with the pinion and for which the first rotor has supporting means upon which the second rack is movable in a direction to produce rotation of the pinion and movement of the first rack for adjustment purposes, means on the first rotor for adjustably fixing the position of the second rack whereby to adjust the range of reciprocation of the first mentioned rack and plunger, and cam operated means for actuating the slide and pinion to effect pinion rotation by means of its engagement with the adjustably fixed second rack, thereby to effect increased motion of the first mentioned rack and plunger in the range determined by the position of the second rack.

17. In a forging machine, a work-ejecting device for pushing a workpiece from a holder, said device comprising a first rack having a work-ejecting plunger mounted thereon, a second rack spaced from the first rack, a pinion meshing with both racks, a slide upon which the pinion is mounted, means providing generally parallel ways in which the two racks and the slide are reciprocable, means for fixing the second rack adjustably in its way, and cam controlled means for reciprocating the slide whereby to produce and multiply motion of said first rack and plunger in a range determined by the adjusted position of the second rack.

18. In a forging machine, the combination with a pair of rotors having means mounting them for rotation in positions in which peripheral portions of the rotors are proximate, means for the synchronous rotation of the rotors, forging dies mounted on the respective rotors for closing upon each other in operative cooperation in the course of their synchronized rotation, a work holder on one of said rotors in registry with its forging die, said work holder comprising a pair of fingers having means mounting them for relative pivotal movement, means for delivering an elongated workpiece endwise into the forging die of the last mentioned rotor and into a position in which an intermediate portion thereof is laterally engaged between clamping portions of said fingers, and means operable during the closing engagement of the respective forging dies upon said workpiece for camming aside the clamping portions of said fingers whereby the workpiece may be completely received within said dies in the closing thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,516 8/1905 Latham et al 72406 1,674,112 6/1928 Hering 72-72 2,380,462 7/ 1945 Peters 72-405 GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FORGING MACHINE, THE CMBINATION WITH MEANS FOR FEEDING ROD, OF MEANS FOR SEVERING SLUGS THEREFROM. AND MEANS INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY SOCKETED DIES, AND ROTORS UPON WHICH THE RESPECTIVE DIES ARE MOUNTED FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT TO AND FROM TANGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR FORGIVING THE SLUGS SO SEVERED, AND MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING SEVERED SLUGS FROM THE SEVERING MEANS AND PLACING THEM IN POSITION TO BE ENGAGED BETWEEN THE CUPPED DIES OF THE FORGING MEANS IN CONTINUOUS UNINTERRUPTED MOVEMENT. 